The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today welcomed a multi-year contribution of £7.5 million (approximately US$9.9 million) spread over three years from the Government of the United Kingdom to respond to the critical needs of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan, and those anticipated to arrive between 2018 and 2020. Continue reading →

South Sudan’s vice-president today assured the General Assembly of further steps toward deploying 4,000 more United Nations peacekeepers after this summer’s resurgence of a civil war that has engulfed the world’s newest country for most of its five years of life.

“My Government position is that we have to engage more with the UN on the details pertaining to the implementation,” Taban Deng Gai told the Assembly’s annual general debate, referring to August’s Security Council resolution, accepted by his Government earlier this month, for an additional 4,000-strong regional protection force within the already 12,000-strong UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Displaced civilians taking refuge at the Tomping base of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). UN Photo/Beatrice Mategwa

The Secretary-General today announced the appointment of Major General (retired) Patrick Cammaert of The Netherlands to lead an independent Special Investigation into the violence in Juba, South Sudan, in July 2016, and the response of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

The investigation will review reports of incidents of attacks on civilians and cases of sexual violence that occurred within or in the vicinity of the UN House Protection of Civilians (POC) sites in Juba. It will also determine the actions of UNMISS and whether the Mission responded appropriately to prevent these incidents and protect civilians within its resources and capabilities at the time. In addition, the investigation will review the circumstances surrounding the attack on the Terrain Hotel and assess the Mission’s response. Continue reading →

Displaced civilians taking refuge at the Tomping base of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), in the wake of fresh clashes in Juba between soldiers of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA in Opposition (SPLA-IO). UN Photo/Beatrice Mategwa

UN News Centre, 12 July 2016 –The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has reported that the ceasefire in the crisis-gripped country appears to be “largely holding, barring sporadic gunfire,” while the UN refugee agency has urged countries to keep their borders open for people fleeing tensions in Juba, where the human rights wing has warned the situation is “deteriorating rapidly.”

According to a UN spokesperson, UNMISS today welcomed the ceasefire announced [by President Salva Kiir and endorsed by First Vice President Riek Machar] yesterday, and Mission chief Ellen Margrethe Løj, strongly urged all parties to adhere to the ceasefire and called on South Sudanese leaders to ensure the order is conveyed through all security forces’ chains of command so that soldiers return to their barracks. Continue reading →

Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng. UN Photo/Manuel Elias

New York, 11 July 2016 – The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, expressed his deep concern at the threat to the populations of South Sudan posed by the renewed fighting of the last few days between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to First Vice President Riek Machar.

“Several hundred people have already been killed, including civilians seeking refuge. Some of the civilians killed were reportedly targeted based on their ethnicity. I echo the words of the Secretary-General, who called on President Kiir and First Vice-President Machar to do everything in their power to de-escalate hostilities immediately and ensure the withdrawal of their forces to their bases. If they fail to do so, South Sudan could be plunged back into civil war, at unimaginable human cost.” Continue reading →

UN News Centre, 10 July 2016 – Strongly condemning the escalating violence in and around the South Sudanese capital of Juba that began on 7 July, the United Nations Security Council today joined Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in calling for an end to the fighting, while separately demanding that President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Reik Machar do their utmost to control their respective forces. Continue reading →

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) peacekeepers in Likuangole Payam, Jonglei State. Photo: UNMISS

2 December 2015 –With both sides repeatedly violating the ceasefire, endangering progress so far made towards a political transition, the South Sudan peace process is at a critical juncture and in need of increased international support, the top United Nations peacekeeping official warned today.

“Now is the time for the [UN Security] Council and international partners of the ‘IGAD Plus’ to invest politically in supporting the take-off of the transition, or the progress made could be lost,” Under-Secretary-General for UN Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous told the Council, calling for 1,100 additional UN peacekeepers to help monitor the accords.

South Sudanese refugees wait to be registered at a crossing into Ethiopia earlier in 2015. Photo: UNHCR/R. Riek

Citing a new window of opportunity for peace in South Sudan, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on all parties to demonstrate a genuine commitment to the peace agreement signed last month, including by immediately halting military operations and forming the Transitional Government of National Unity.

“The road ahead will be difficult,” said Mr. Ban. “I urge the signatories to honour their solemn commitment and implement the agreement without delay. Reverting to war yet again cannot be an option.”

Fighting in South Sudan’s Greater Upper Nile region has remained intense and civilians have fled their homes in areas around Wau Chollo (Shilluk) district to the UNMISS protection site in Malakal. Photo: UNMISS

The Secretary-General welcomes the signature today by President Salva Kiir of the Agreement on the resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. This is a critical and necessary step towards ending the 20 month-long conflict that has devastated South Sudan and subjected its people to unspeakable suffering.